1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a computer-based video recording and management system, which is used in conjunction with medical diagnostic equipment. In particular, the system allows a physician or medical personnel to record and time-mark significant events during a medical procedure, to index patient data with the video footage, and then to later edit and/or access the video footage with patient data from a database in an efficient and accurate manner.
2. Discussion of Background Information
An endoscope is an instrument which is formed from a flexible tube which can be inserted inside the human body through natural openings such as the mouth, the nose, etc. The endoscope allows the physician performing a medical examination to visually observe the state of natural body cavities such as the throat, esophagus, stomach, pancreatic and biliary ducts, colon, etc.
Typically, during a medical procedure in which a physician uses an endoscope, he/she can press buttons on the endoscope to capture still images of the most relevant portions of the procedure. These images can then be stored into a computerized system. The computerized system will associate each picture taken during the procedure with the patient's records. In particular, during the procedure, the endoscope user simply presses a button on the scope and an associated computer system captures the images. The system saves the images into a database containing the patient's medical records. As a result, the system allows one, after the endoscopic procedure is complete for instance, to assimilate and analyze the data so that a medical report can be generated.
Following the endoscopic examination, the physician reviews all the medical data generated throughout the procedure and issues a report. The medical report normally includes text and images. For example, a textual description and diagnosis of what the physician found during the procedure (i.e. malignancies, polyps, etc.) is always included in the medical report. Furthermore, images can be included to pictorially illustrate the medical condition of which the physician is actually referring to in the textual description.
Still imaging systems for endoscopes have been available for several years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,306 to Kanno et al. teaches an endoscope image filing apparatus wherein endoscope image information and search information are recorded in the same medium by a recording apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,789 to Hiyama et al. discloses a system including multiple image signal generating apparatuses which each generate an image signal using an electronic endoscope, an ultrasonic scope or the like. The scopes are connected to a common large capacity filing apparatus through an interface so that image data can be recorded together with image information with respect to the data in the unit of any number of images for a single examination. The image data recorded can then be searched for in the unit of a single examination.
As endoscope technology progresses, video endoscopes have been developed which generate live images on a video monitors by capturing the visual information using an electronic sensor placed at the distal end of the endoscope. Video taping an entire endoscopic procedure is also well-known. For instance, the entire endoscopic procedure, from beginning to end, can be recorded on a VCR in the procedure room. Such video recordings have been traditionally used only for specific reasons, such as presentational, educational or training purposes, etc.
An example is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,184,922 to Saito et al., in which a camera control unit for processing a signal output from an imaging device incorporated in an endoscope is taught. The system includes an analog video signal output terminal through which a video signal is output to a monitor, and a digital video signal output terminal to which a still image-specific or motion picture-specific expansion unit is coupled in a freely detachable manner By handling a release switch, a still image or motion picture can be recorded digitally.
However, none of the above-noted references provide features which allow for the video footage to be incorporated or combined with important patient data such as name, medical finding, finding location, and free text to be associated with each video clip. Furthermore, none of the above-noted references provide features which allow for storage of the video with patient data, so that it can be easily edited and/or stored in a database.
One of the main reasons video has not been incorporated into the patient's records is because of system constraints (e.g., computer memory). Another reason is because of the extensive amount of time required to edit the video and to incorporate the video into the patient's records. Whether the editing is performed on a VCR editing machine or on a computer system with video editing capabilities, it requires an extensive amount of time, which in turn, increases medical costs.
Typically, the medical staff has higher priorities during the medical procedure than editing the video of the procedure in real-time. Furthermore, such procedures are often unpredictable. Because one does not know what may occur or be discovered during the procedure, it is somewhat imprudent to selectively record only phenomena of which is expected to be of significant interest during the procedure. For instance, during the procedure of unexpected problem may occur, and later full documentation will suddenly become very important and relevant. Therefore, traditionally, if a video clip of the procedure is desired, one must initially record the entire procedure.
Depending upon the medical procedure, the video recording time can be anywhere between ten minutes to two and one-half hours for each procedure. Once the procedure is finished and the medical staff has a better perspective of the results of the operation, it is then normally a more appropriate time to edit the video.
It is becoming increasingly more important to provide systems in which critical data can be extracted from medical devices and then organized in an efficient and effective manner. Currently in medical database research, if one tries to carry out a visual search of medical investigations, often the databases do not have enough materials to accurately implement a complete search. Many medical databases are incomplete and only have random bits and pieces of medical data. When research is being conducted, often the researcher does not know why certain procedures have been recorded.
Ultimately, when conclusions are drawn from statistical research, the conclusions drawn are only as good as the data in the database. Therefore, in order to perform any kind of statistical research based on a database, a need exists for ensuring that the database is significantly populated in a systematic way.